BeerHere

So he gets pissed when the team loses. What a jerk. Like I've said several times now, I completely agree with his assessment. I disagree with the methods and timing of his critiques.

What are you talking about? This team has been terrible and he's been good. I was referring to the first half last year. So his struggles once coincided with the team's struggles, but he's pitching well while the team is nosediving. That doesn't add up to "he seems to be at his worst when the team is struggling." He was really good in 2005 and 2006, he was better than people care to admit in 2010. He had a good second half in 2010. The first half wasn't nearly as good and let's not forget that he fought with a teammate, was suspended missing a lot of starts, went to anger management etc. During his struggles did Marmol or anyone go to the media and say "He should have better pitch selection" - no. Z is at his worst (behavior) when the team is least prepared to handle it (losing streak).

Stop saying this like it's fact. With the money coming off the books the Cubs could very easily be competitive as early as next season. No, it's by no means a lock, but that so many people have this automatic assumption that the Cubs are going to so hopelessly suck and can do nothing about it for the next 3+ seasons is absurd. It certainly isn't a fact but has there been any indication otherwise? The payroll was cut coming into this season. Attendance is WAY down this year and I think it is foolish to assume that the money coming off the books will automatically be put back into the payroll for 2012. What exactly has Ricketts done or said that makes you think he's committed to winning at all costs? Are you serious? Ricketts is going to respond to dwindling attendance by cutting the payroll by 25% and not put anything back into it? Ricketts knew when he bought the team that the payroll was right up to the limit and actually a little more than he could handle. So yeah because of moves made before he was owner, we've been struggling to do anything that adds payroll to the team. But there has been nothing said or done to indicate that Ricketts is going to randomly cut the payroll down to 80M or whatever. That's insane. Where did I say that the payroll is getting cut to $80M? I said it is foolish to think that all $60M will automatically be spent just because it is available. The payroll is at least partially derived from the gates and there are a lot less people paying to see games this year. You don't think that will impact payroll?

That (and the Latin American "academy" and expansion) is what you can point to if you wonder what the Ricketts' commitments are to this team being better down the line. Again, I really want them to take another huge step and drop the deadweight that is Hendry, but the repeated insistence that they're doing "nothing" or idiots like Rosenbloom and his "fanboy" garbage are just ignorant. The Wrigley complex didn't happen, mostly because they wanted $200M from the state. CubTV hasn't happened. I may be wrong here, but wasn't much of the spring training complex paid for by the city/county as well? They went cheap in the 2010 draft (a big market team should not be spending in the middle of the pack on the draft). When Henry bought the Red Sox, he spent piles of his own money to make changes starting from within the organization. He didn't cry poor to an already cash-strapped state. This conversation is deviating from the topic of this thread so I'll make my final point: 1. I have seen little from Ricketts that makes me think he is committed to change anything 2. You are a fool if you assume that $60M will be spent this offseason 3. If you think this team (plus some offseason acquisitions) is going to complete next year you're delusional. Rapid turnarounds happen but not that often and not this severely.

What are you talking about? This team has been terrible and he's been good. I was referring to the first half last year.

Stop saying this like it's fact. With the money coming off the books the Cubs could very easily be competitive as early as next season. No, it's by no means a lock, but that so many people have this automatic assumption that the Cubs are going to so hopelessly suck and can do nothing about it for the next 3+ seasons is absurd. It certainly isn't a fact but has there been any indication otherwise? The payroll was cut coming into this season. Attendance is WAY down this year and I think it is foolish to assume that the money coming off the books will automatically be put back into the payroll for 2012. What exactly has Ricketts done or said that makes you think he's committed to winning at all costs?

I don't have a problem with what he said at all and I completely agree with him but.....did any of his teammates call him out when he was terrible last year? Did anyone question Z's pitch selection to the media when he was brutal? My biggest issue with Z is that he seems to be at his worst when the team is struggling.

This team is going nowhere. Z and Marmol have the most value and the Cubs won't really be in a position to contend while their contracts are on the books so we might as well trade them for prospects that will be a part of the future. The return MUST be very good, I don't want to just dump them for anything. We need good prospects, players to build on not some hack/rebuild project(s).

I have to agree. It seems pretty clear to me that Ricketts has no idea what he's doing and honestly thinks that Hendry is doing a good job. I highly doubt that either leave.

Because I didn't see it in writing or hear him speaks the words? Watching the team, seeing the lack of action, comments like "We're bad because of injuries, we'll be fine". Lowball spending on the draft despite being a big market team. You don't see anything wrong with that?

What are you talking about? You're the type of fan that shows up win or lose. It's called passion and having a spine - you should try it sometime.

If you don't see anything wrong with what he said then sit there and enjoy your 2011 Cubs, you'll see plenty more. Ricketts bought the team because the stands are always filled - "win or lose". Much like the Tribune, where is the motivation to make the team better? You can look forward to more budget first round picks, payroll cuts due to the dip in attendance, and lowball management. Maybe I am "plumbing to new depths" but I am sick and tired of crappy teams and terrible management. I had a hope, albeit small, that new ownership might love baseball, the Chicago Cubs, winning and enjoy the challenge of turning this around. Instead I got stuck with another idiot that used his father's money to get into a venture that he knows nothing about. He walks around the nearly empty grandstand and marvels at what he has accomplished. Maybe he loves owning the Cubs but I wanted an owner with passion and a drive to not only play and compete, but to win. I wanted a guy that knew how to build a winner through the draft and augment with free agency. I wanted a guy that knows baseball, that knows to hire knowledgeable people to run the team, the draft and the clubhouse. I got a guy that had to go to daddy to get the money to buy the team and convince him that it was a good business venture. Hate Cuban and Steinbrenner for all their faults but they are at least passionate about winning and not just owning.

Not sure if this has been posted here or not. This video makes it clear that Tom Ricketts is a moron. "Dad, we have the players and management in place to bring a world series to Chicago". You have to be kidding me. The right players and management? I'm speechless... Oh, and his justification for buying the Cubs - "Dad, they sell every ticket for every game, win or lose." [expletive] infuriating. Exactly the type of owner that I didn't want to have. He has no idea what he is doing. Spoiled rich kid using daddy's money to land his "dream job". I have no hope. My Dad is 77 year old and loves the Cubs. He will pass without seeing his team in a world series, let along win one. I suspect my fate is the same. Tom Ricketts - If I ever meet your spoiled little rich ass I will slap the [expletive] out of you. I despise assholes like you and now you own the team that I love. [expletive] off [expletive].

I realize that McNutt was pulled after less than 3 innings last night but I haven't seen anything that indicates it wasn't another blister problem.

Probably Some Dude

Not a very good year for the state of Illinois but here is the list from Callis: NATIONAL TOP 200 PROSPECTS 1. Charlie Tilson, of, New Trier HS, Winnetka (National Rank: 80) 2. Nick Burdi, rhp, Downers Grove South HS (National Rank: 134) OTHER PROSPECTS OF NOTE 3. Jerad Grundy, lhp, Heartland CC 4. Willie Argo, of, Illinois 5. Justin Hancock, rhp, Lincoln Trail CC 6. Jake Junis, rhp, Rock Falls HS 7. Brandon Magallones, rhp, Providence Catholic HS, New Lenox 8. Adam Davis, c, Illinois 9. Zach Borenstein, of/3b, Eastern Illinois 10. Garrett Schlect, of, Waterloo HS 11. Ryan Court, 3b, Illinois State 12. Tyler Farrell, rhp, Galesburg HS 13. Jerad Eickhoff, rhp, Olney Central CC 14. Joe Perricone, rhp, Hersey HS, Arlington Heights 15. Chris Burgess, rhp, Black Hawk JC 16. Corey Maines, rhp, Illinois State 17. Spencer Patton, rhp, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 18. Josh Parr, ss, Illinois 19. Zac Zellers, of, Heartland CC 20. Tyler McNeely, of, Illinois State 21. Derek Thompson, lhp, Teutopolis HS 22. Chris Razo, rhp, Heartland CC 23. Eric Wyman, lhp, Illinois-Chicago 24. Zach Sterling, rhp, Western Illinois 25. Chris Lashmet, 3b, Northwestern 26. Alex Hermeling, rhp, Glenbrook North HS, Northbrook 27. Garrett Bolt, rhp, Western Illinois 28. Paul Snieder, 1b, Northwestern 29. Wes Minton, ss, Parkland CC 30. Jeff Schalk, 1b, Wheaton North HS

This duo may very well be one of the worst combinations of back-to-back hitters (not including pitchers) in MLB history. Let's pray for a rainout. While I certainly don't expect Barney to hit .330 all year, he's doing it now so he gets some starts to see what he can do at this level. Why not give Campana the same opportunity? The team is going nowhere and there is an opening with Byrd out. I don't see a reason to not give the kid a shot...maybe his game plays up at this level, maybe it doesn't. The point is, we don't know.

Why does Vitters get every third game off? How does sitting on the bench teach him plate discipline or give him experience at 1B?

Seconded

Tony Campana takes his place. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-0517-cubs-bits--20110516,0,4610419.story

Assuming he goes on the DL for the groin injury, it has to be Castillo that gets called up right? If that is the case I think he needs to see the majority of the playing time ahead of Hill.

Options are: a) thrown out for arguing b) injured c) removed by the coach after a boneheaded play My guess, A

Oh look! Another NSBB thread that devolved into petty arguments and minutea.

If Theriot gets an ovation, they should tear Wrigely down. I'm not joking. They should tear down Wrigley either way.

I don't really understand how you can say the things you are saying. They have not been competitive. They've avoided long-term contracts because Hendry put them in such a crap position and there was no money available, not out of strategy. They've opened up spots for young players in a way they haven't done in a long, long time? What? Castro forced them to play him and in a way Colvin did last spring, sort of. They cleared the way for Cashner by dumping Silva, but that's the only clearing they've done, and it was a no brainer of a move. The change is Castro and Soto are something they never had or never produced when Hendry was in charge of that development. Jim Hendry is a piss poor GM. He's been given uprecedented opportunities to produce a winner in Wrigley and he's struggled to compete with the Florida Marlins when it comes to what matters most, wins. There is no mythological philosophy that better fits Jim Hendry than the philosophy of the guy who lucked into a position and was signed to extensions twice by outgoing superiors. He's done a terrible job and it would be nothing short of idiotic to think he will suddenly learn how to do a better job. I tend to think that the new organization philosophy has more to do with new ownership than Hendry. When Ricketts took over he specifically mentioned using the farm system to develop from within rather than signing FA's. Soto, Colvin, Castro, Cashner, Mateo, Wells, Samardzija, Marmol and to some extent Guzman were examples of developed players that were given a shot in the last couple years or so. I completely agree that Hendry is responsible for the financial state though and as a result he should probably go considering the quality of the teams put out under his watch. Ideally I would like to see an owner and a GM that have the same vision and willingness to spend on the draft and firmly believe in developing from within and augmenting with FA's where needed. The transition to this model has begun but given the long-term contracts it will take a couple years at a minimum. This argument is repeated every single year it seems.